This time last season, as the league introduced a bye week, giving teams mandated days off and offering players rest in a compressed schedule, the Maple Leafs coach ripped the idea behind it.

“I think it’s 100 per cent wrong for player safety,” Babcock said last season. “You’ve got so many games in such a short period of time and you’re jamming in more. To me, the more days rest you can have by not playing back-to-backs and jamming it in the healthier you have a chance to be I believe.”

But after Tuesday’s practice, Babcock softened his tone.

“As a young coach, I would’ve wanted them to take their skates to the Bahamas, find some ice and skate,” said Babcock. “You and I know that’s not happening. I think you pick the battles you can. We’ve got a good sports science team that will put them in a position on how they can help themselves and we’ll go from...

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